cannabis crusader
Neither car crashes or chemotherapy can stop Heber Springs resident Cindy Moffitt from advocating for medical marijuana.
By Isabella Wisinger
Photography by Cindy Moffitt and Trevor Swedenburg
Meet Cindy Moffitt, mother of three, Arkansas native, and local champion of medical marijuana. Moffitt’s attitude toward marijuana was always tolerant and supportive. But her passion for patient accessibility to cannabis didn’t truly begin until 1998, when she was in a violent car crash that resulted in 11 new screws, three new plates, and one replacement shoulder.
After the crash and subsequent surgeries, Moffitt began to develop acute joint inflammation until she was, in her own words, “arthritic from head to toe.” Her doctors prescribed muscle relaxers, pain medications, and anti-inflammatories. The side effects of those drug interventions wreaked havoc on Moffitt’s mental health, which led to her also being prescribed antidepressants and anxiety medications. She felt exhausted by the constant intake of pharmaceuticals and told her doctor she wanted to try and reduce her prescription count as much as possible. It was six months before Moffitt’s insurance approved the necessary tests her doctor ordered to asses her need for a medical card. But, once the process was complete, she was able to use medical marijuana to gradually wean off all of her medications over the course of a year.
Moffitt said that cannabis has done what other drugs could not. Now, even on her most painful days, she can still get out of bed. Beforehand, that wasn’t the case. Moffitt also noted that she has less anxiety about using medical marijuana than her previous prescriptions, as she no longer worries about side effects, accidental overdose, or withdrawal. “My whole family tells me I’m a better wife, mother, and daughter,” Moffitt said of the impact her medical marijuana usage has had on her family dynamics.
Once Moffitt met her goal of becoming pharmaceutical free, she decided to do what she could to contribute to education about medical marijuana. She runs a Facebook forum called CannaFriends, where she hosts a livestream to talk about all things cannabis on Tuesday nights at 7 PM Central Time. Moffitt also hosts The Reefer Retreat, a yearly women’s only retreat that initially took place in Mountain View, but has now migrated to a cabin in Heber Springs along the Little Red River. The annual CannaBash is another one of Moffitt’s projects- she organizes the event each year around Halloween, and donates the proceeds to different charities of choice. This year, CannaBash collected pet food for the Humane Society of Heber Springs. The fundraiser also held a raffle and silent auction to raise money for none other than Moffitt herself, who was diagnosed with stage three mesothelioma in August 2024, only weeks after attending the Arkansas Times Cannabis & Wellness Expo.
Moffitt was candid about her marijuana usage with her oncologists from the start. She shared that her doctors not only approved, but encouraged her to continue using medical marijuana to offset the symptoms of chemotherapy. Thanks to cannabis, Moffitt has been able to stimulate her appetite and keep down food- she said that a few hits off of a joint worked better for her than the traditional anti-nausea medication used by cancer patients. Her daily go-to, though, is the RSO product ArkanRaw, which is a concentrated cannabis extract resembling tar. Moffitt takes one dose a day on average, but up to six doses on days where her pain flares up. She said that since developing and being treated for cancer, she doesn’t feel the “high” sensation associated with marijuana anymore, but the pain relief it provides is the same as ever.
The good news: Moffitt’s cancer markers have decreased by around 90% since she began chemotherapy. When she first received her test results, her markers were over 1000 units, but after round three of chemotherapy, they dropped to 116. She said even her largest tumors have shrunken, and some of the smaller ones have disappeared entirely. Moffitt may be able to avoid further surgery yet. Her recovery plan will depend on the success of a fourth round of chemotherapy.
All of these lifesaving medical interventions don’t come cheap! A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Moffitt cover the cost of her medical care. Those who want to donate to her medical fund can do so here.
Despite her medical challenges, Moffitt continues to appear on her weekly CannaFriends Facebook live to connect with the Arkansas cannabis community. Her personal fortitude and dedication to medical marijuana advocacy is an inspiration to the rest of cannabis culture (and patients everywhere.)
